Aster plant named ‘BKATRWT’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aster  plant named ‘BKATRWT’, characterized by its broadly upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; and large daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Aster novi-belgii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKATRWT’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aster plant, botanically known as Aster novi-belgii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKATRWT’.

The new Aster plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely-branching container-type Aster plants with uniform plant habit and attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Aster plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2005 in Maasdijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Aster novi-belgii identified as code number 1000051, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Aster novi-belgii, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aster plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in July, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aster plant by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in November, 2006. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Aster plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Aster plant have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BKATRWT’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BKATRWT’ as a new and distinct Aster plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray         florets.

Plants of the new Aster differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster are more freely flowering than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Disc florets of plants of the new Aster flower do not turn         brown with development whereas disc florets of plants of the         female parent selection turn brown with development.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of Aster ‘Victoria Diana’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,359. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Maasdijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Aster differed from plants of ‘Victoria Diana’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Victoria Diana’.     -   2. Disc florets of plants of the new Aster flower did not turn         brown with development whereas disc florets of plants of         ‘Victoria Diana’ turned brown with development.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Aster plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Aster plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BKATRWT’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close-up views of the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves and typical inflorescences of ‘BKATRWT’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the late summer in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and grown under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial container Aster production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 19° C. Plants were pinched 24 days after planting and were twelve weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Aster novi-belgii ‘BKATRWT’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Aster             novi-belgii identified as code number 1000051, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Aster             novi-belgii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at             temperatures of about 19° to 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 to 16 days at             temperatures of about 19° to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of about 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three to             four weeks at temperatures of about 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant shape and habit.—Herbaceous daisy-type potted Aster;             broadly upright with lateral branches somewhat outwardly             spreading; inverted triangle with uniformly mounded crown.         -   Branching habit.—Strong and freely branching growth habit             with about four lateral branches per plant; pinching             enhances lateral branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 18.7 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 11.2 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Internode length: About 6 mm. Strength: Strong.             Angle: Upright to about 55° from vertical. Texture: Slightly             pubescent. Color: Close to 137C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 4.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 9 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acuminate.         -   Base.—Cordate, amplexicaul.         -   Margin.—Finely serrate.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous; slightly             rugose.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Between 138A and 147B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C;             venation, close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 138A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with narrowly             oblanceolate-shaped ray floret; inflorescences borne             uniformly on terminals above and beyond the foliar plane;             disk and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Under natural conditions, plants             flower from midsummer into the autumn in The Netherlands;             plants begin to flower about 40 days after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity of the plant.—Inflorescences             maintain good substance and color for about two weeks;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with             about 75 inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Broadly ovate. Color: Between 155C and 157D; towards             the base, between 143B and 144B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.5 cm. Receptacle             height: About 1 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 3 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 144C.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; longitudinally ribbed. Orientation: Initially             upright, then about 75° from vertical. Number of ray florets             per inflorescence: About 36 arranged in about two whorls.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             NN155D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             NN155D.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 40. Length:             About 6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated;             apices, acute. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, inner and             outer surfaces: Close to 145C.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 40             arranged in about four whorls. Length: About 5 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             143A; towards the margins, close to 143C.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 2.8 mm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             Upright to about 40° from vertical. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 137D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity of stamens per floret: Five. Filament length:             About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145C. Anther shape:             Obovate. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to             9A to 9B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 9B.             Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Quantity of             pistils per floret: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma             shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 145D. Style length:             About 6 mm. Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close             to 157A to 157B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Aster. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Asters has not been observed on plants of the new Aster. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Aster have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures ranging     from 5° C. to about 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Aster plant named ‘BKATRWT’ as illustrated and described. 